Reds Go To Wells To Beat San Diego

National League

The last eight innings were no problem. It was the first one that had David Wells muttering to himself.

“I said, ‘Here we go again,”’ said Wells, who gave up a first-pitch triple and a run-scoring double, but then shut out San Diego the rest of the way as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Padres 8-1 Thursday.

After throwing two consecutive complete games in August, Wells (5-3) had lasted only four innings in each of his next two starts.

“I decided I couldn’t let that happen again,” Wells said. “I had to bear down.”

Eddie Taubensee drove in two runs with his eighth homer, Thomas Howard tripled in two and Jeff Branson homered, his 12th, as the Reds reduced their number for clinching the N.L. Central to five.

Mets 4, Astros 2 New York

Houston missed a chance to gain ground in the wildcard race as it was defeated by New York.

Rico Brogna broke a 2-all tie with a 420-foot line drive to straightaway center field.

Phillies 7, Pirates 2 Pittsburgh

Charlie Hayes singled in two runs in a three-run fifth, carrying Philadelphia past Pittsburgh.

Clearing the bases

Cincinnati’s Ron Gant, serving a four-game suspension for his part in a brawl at Houston, is eligible to return today against Atlanta.